By JIM AUSTIN
Cooperstown Crier
The board of trustees
voted last week to deny a
special use permit to the
Lakefront Motel to change
its status from a motel to a
hotel.
A public hearing on the
special use permit application
was held a month earlier.
The motel’s owner Paula
Wikoff had applied for a
special use permit to operate
as a hotel — a permitted
use in the residential
district where the Lakefront
is located.
Currently the motel is
considered to be a pre-existing,
non-conforming entity
within a residential
district.
Originally the property
was zoned commercial, but
was changed years ago to a
residential district.
Wikoff has plans to
make changes to the motel,
but with its current status
it would require a use variance
which is almost impossible
to obtain, according
to Village Attorney
Martin Tillapaugh.
Tillapaugh explained
that the issue came up
when Wikoff applied to
make changes to her buildings.
``It is clear that as a preexisting,
non-conforming
entity it is extremely difficult,
if not impossible, to
expand,’’ he said.
A hotel is permitted in
the residential district by
special permit granted by
the trustees.
To expand that, Wikoff
would ``still have to jump
through a number of
hoops,’’ he said.
Granting the special use
permit would allow Wikoff
to take the next step. ``She
can’t do any of it if it stays
a motel,’’ he said.
Wikoff pointed out that
it was Tillapaugh who suggested
applying for the special
use permit.
``It was a commercial
property and why my father
and grandfather didn’t
fight it [a change to residential
zone] I don’t understand,’’
Wikoff said.
Charles Hyman, a
neighbor of the motel said
it is a case of the interests
of a commercial enterprise
versus residential interests.
How the trustees vote,
he said, ``sets the tone for
whose priorities are being
protected — commercial
enterprise or residential
property owners.’’
He said if the trustees
grant the special use permit
it will ``open the door to
a variety of changes whether
it happens now or in the
future.’’
Wikoff could not be
reached this week for comment
about the decision.
inactive
November 5, 2009
Lakefront Motel denied hotel status
- inactive
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